The Prison
By Giggle. Chapter One Moon blinked open her eyes to find herself in a dark cavern.The only light came from small gaps in the walls,and even that light was scarce. The blue-gray she-cat staggered to her paws.The rocky cave continued on,deeper into the ground.She spun to find the entrance,but all she found was a huge,twisted wall of brambles and vines.It would take ages to get through that - not to mention ripping her pelt out on every thorn.And,she saw in dismay,a guard sat beside the gate way.The cat turned to glance at her,to see if she was still there,then settled back to his job. Why was she here?Moon struggled to recall the events of the previous night.Claws,fire,then...it was all dark.But that didn't matter.She must've slept the whole day away,as she could see the faint light of the moon through the brambles. She glanced down the tunnel.It couldn't hurt.As she wandered down the tunnel,it grew darker.A rustling here.A pawstep there. Moon wasn't alone. “Whose there?"She called,her mew shaky. Claws clicked against the rock.The cavern floor was smooth,probably worn smooth by countless cats walking here.Moon swallowed hard.If these other cats were like her... “Hello?"She tried again. This time,a faint light sparked behind some boulders at the edge of the cavern.A head popped up,shadowed by the flame.The tom skittishly walked away from the rocks,the fire following him,just behind his tail. Moon stepped back from the flame.“Who are you?" “I'm Ravenflame."The tom wasn't much older than her,yet he spoke in a rasp.His pelt clung to his skinny frame as if he were half starved,and he stood with muscles tensed. Moon swallowed.The fire wouldn't spread over rock,would it?But her fears subsided as she realized that the fire was contained in some sort of energy field.Ravenflame was what the Clans called one of the Mismatched. What they called Moon. “Where are we?"Her voice still shook. Ravenflame glanced down both ends of the tunnel.The entrance,covered in brambles,was barely visible in the gloomy distance.The other direction was endless darkness.“We are in the prison at Fourtrees." Moon cocked her head.“Fourtrees?"A prison - that much she had firgured out.But the place that this tom spoke of was new to her. “Yeah."Again he glanced toward the entrance.“Come on.The more violent prisoners come out in the daylight.The sun will be rising soon." He began walking into the darkness,the glowing flame at his tail.Moon followed. After they had walked for what seemed like an eternity,Ravenflame stopp and groaned.The light flickered out. “Why'd you-" “You think the Clans feed us?We barelly have water - and most of us arent so lucky.I could barelly creat that small flame.Now we're stuck in the dark till the sun rises,and then we're dead." Moon looked down the endless tunnel.“We don't need to stay here.As long as you tell me where we're going." “What do you mean?"Ravenflame's voice was filled with hopelessness. Moon didn't hesitate.“Follow me." Teking the lead,the she-cat rested her tail on Ravenflame's shoulder and began walking.Relieved that he was following,she then asked,“Where are we going?" “A little cavern,me and a few other of the Mismatched,we stay there.Food is scarce,but we manage.It isn't too far." “Good." Moon confidently walked into the gloom.There was a slight slope under her paws.She couldn't see very well,it was too dark,but she could tell every little detail of the prison. A turn there.Pausing,she knew it wasn't the right tunnel. Rocks over there.No cat hid behind them,they were safe. A fork in the path.Here she hesitated,but she clearly knew the left tunnel led to the cavern.A right turn here...a left turn there...another left...a right. “Ravenflame?"A voice sounded from the cavern ahead.“Whose that with you?" “My name is Moon."Without a reply,she walked between two rock walls,the sides brushing her fur,but suddenly widened into a small cavern. Inside,Moon could sense four or five cats,and then Ravenflame behind her.As he entered,one of the cats stood and closed her eyes.To Moon's amazement,she began to glow with a faint,electric green light,her orange fur looking brown beneath the light. “Did you catch anything,Lizardeyes?"Ravenflame asked. A black tom,his pelt reflecting the ginger she-cat's glow,shook his head.“Today WindClan brought a rabbit though,so the full moon must be nearing.And we have water."Lizardeyes picked up a piece of fresh kill that had been torn to pieces.It didn't even resemble a rabbit,but Moon could tell from the skinny frames of the cats in the cavern that she should learn not to be picky and save herself some trouble. Immediately Lizardeyes began to tear the meat even further and spread it around the group.Moon realized soon enough that the one rabbit for all of the cats,torn as it was,was a feast.Each cat purred in excitement and a chunk or two of rabbit was passed to them. After each cat finished the tiny meal,they filed to a shallow dip in the ground where a small supply of water and moss was.Moon ended up at the back of the proccesion,as each of the Mismatched took a few laps of water,then let the cat behind them drink. “Water is running low,Moss,"One of the cats snarled.“The one thing plentiful down here besides rock!Why haven't you gathered any?" Moss,a white tom with brown eyes,protested,“There isn't much given to us,and I haven't found any streams that aren't claimed by the Camps!" “Who are the Camps?"Moon whispered to Ravenflame. Ravenflame ignored her question and joined the discussion of his fellow prisoners.“Yes,but Moss,we have no way of surviving if we dont have water." “Is it worth surviving down here?"Moss countered.“No food except whatever scrawny rat or mouse happens to become lost down here,barely enough water to go around,endless darkness?" Moon tensed.Outside the cavern she heard faint pawsteps.“Someone's coming." Lizardeyes glanced to the doorway.“The sun is probably rising then.And if the full moon is tonight..." “It might be worth going up there,"A golden she-cat said.“Maybe,for once,we will all go to sleep with food in our bellies.If we don't,we will either die of starvation or be killed looking for food.Either way,there is only one choice." “I agree with Clawswipe."Ravenflame mewed confidently. Moss nodded. Lizardeyes glanced at the glowing cat,and then at Moon.“Moon,Firefly,do youu two agree in sending a group up for food?" “I do."Moon said. Firefly,who was named well,nodded without opening her eyes.“I agree." Lizardeyes shrugged.“Settled.Now,get some sleep.Moss will stand guard." Each cat settled into a place along the cavern,leaving Moon out of place.The cavern wasn't tiny,but it wasn't big.Few places were left open.Finally,Moon found a spot near the opening. “Clawstripe,Ravenflame,Moon,and I will go for food,"Lizardeyes said just as Moon drifted off to sleep. Chapter Two Moon felt someone shaking her awake.Looking up,she saw Clawswipe's determined face.And Moon stood,she saw that Ravenflame and Lizardeyes were already gone. “Come on."The golden cat squeezed through the entrance,Moon on her heels. The tunnel wasn't quite as dark,and soon Moon realized that little fires lined the pathway.“Did Ravenflame light these?"Clawswipe nodded but said nothing.“How are they burning on the rock?" “He's lighting our path.We better be quick before they go out."She picked up her pace. Moon didn't mention that she didn't need light to find her way,since they were still below ground.As they climbed,though,the fires became few and far between,and then there were none altogether.By this point,there was enough faint light to see by. Ravenflame and Lizardeyes crouched on either side of the entrance,ready to grab whatever prey was given.Clawswipe took a spot in front of the brambles,ready to fight off other prisoners.Moon crouched beside her. Claws skidded on stone farther down into the prison.“Hurry up,Snake!"One cat hissed. Moon watched a grey tom with a white she-cat at his heels run forward.They looked more muscular and well fed than the cats she had met in the cavern,but they were still pitifully skinny.She wouldn't look much better if she didn't find a way out of here.But food first. “Get out of our way,rats!"The she-cat hissed.“The food is ours." Clawswipe growled.“They haven't brought any yet,mouse-brain!" The tom unsheathed his claws.Moon and Clawswipe did the same. Moon heard pawsteps behind her just as more cats came out of the gloom.Some skinny,some more well fed,some barely strong enough to stand.Most of the cats probably wouldn't survive if it came down to a battle. The grey tom lunged at Clawswipe as fresh-kill thumped onto the floor between the brambles.Skidding,clawing followed.Moon swiped her claws at a cat who tried to overtake her.The cat's claws scraped her side. Clawswipe's eyes glowed red and her moves became faster and faster until she was little more than a blur.This had to be her ability,Moon thought.The tom backed off,blood staining his fur. Fighting broke out among all of the prisoners.In the shadows,Moon thought she saw Ravenflame carrying a rabbit in his mouth with a fish under his jaw. As the fighting began to die down,the bluish she-cat realized in horror than at least ten cats lay dead.And,she noticed,trails of blood went off into the darkness.She wasn't sure all of them were from the injured cats.The thought made her stomache churn. Clawswipe's eyes had returned to their green color,and her legs shook.She would have collapsed had Moon not been there to support her. Moon slowly went into the darkness,helping Clawswipe take one step after another.''I hate this awful prison,''she thought,''I'll probably die here.''She glanced back at the bodies of the cats who never saw freedom again.Someday,she might be among them.The thought made her angry. Lizardeyes tore the rabbit - a whole rabbit - into chunks.“Tonight we eat well for the first time in I don't know how long."He said,spreading the meat out.When each cat had eaten their small share of rabbit,they then turned on the fish,and the half a squirrel. “The Clans were generous with us this moon!"Firefly said in excitement,her fur flickering as she ate her meal. The others in the cavern murmured their agreement. “While the Camps were at the bramble wall,"Moss said,“I went and got water.I would love a Camp by the streams,but there are so few...." “No,Moss,you filled the water supply.You even dried the moss so we may have bedding tonight.You did good,"Ravenflame told him. “I could find a stream."Moon said,turning attention to her. Clawswipe glared.“We have explored for countless moons.All the streams are claimed,and the others won't share.What makes you think that a newcomer can find one?" “It's my ability."Dead silence filled the air.Everyone had finished eating,and everyone was staring at her except Firefly,who had her eyes closed to provide light. Moss rolled his eyes.“Finding streams is your ability?" “No!"Moon snarled.“I can find my way underground.Even in complete darkness." Lizardeyes glanced at Clawswipe. “That's great!"Moss exclaimed,“We can find a new place to camp,a place to live better than this little cavern!" Ravenflame nodded.“We wouldn't have to ration water.We could all go for food.It would save us all some trouble,and maybe make things better." “How deep would an unclaimed stream be from the bramble wall?"Clawswipe asked.“We wouldn't even be able to get food." “There will be a place,I'm sure of it."Moon mewed. Lizardeyes looked to Ravenflame.“You brought Moon here.Do you trust her?" The brown tabby looked at her for a moment.“Yeah.I do." “I'll leave when it grows darker."She looked at the entrance.The tunnel was always dim,but it was growing pitch black.“It won't be long.But I'll return by morning." After taking her limited ration of water,Moon darted into the growing darkness. Chapter 3 Moon was certain there was a place to live that would be easy to defend and survive in.But the question was if it was claimed by another group.It seemed there were several prisoners in this place,and very few were open to strangers. She first went to the bramble wall.Outside,the guard glanced at her. “Why am I here?"Moon called.There was no response.“I did nothing wrong!This place is evil,please tell me why I was taken here!" “You're one of them.The Mismatched are evil.That is why you are there."The guard didn't look at Moon as he spoke. Moon scowled.“We are like any other cats - some good,some bad.And most of the cats in here are only evil because of desperation!" “It doesn't matter.You're never getting out,most likely." “You fear us,"she hissed,“and you're too proud to admit it." Without waiting for the guard's reply,Moon turned to the cavern behind her.She focussed,hoping there would be a place nearby. She wandered into the darkness,letting her paws guide her.Soon enough,the bluish cat found herself in a cavern,larger than the one she and her campmates lived in,but not too big.Down one wall drops of water trickled into a small basin similar to the one in the cavern. She walked around and soon discovered in delight that there was a small opening to a spot near the bramble wall.The entrance was hidden by boulders,so it wouldn't be noticed by others,and,tasting the air,she scented no other cats that had been here. Then she tasted the scent of mouse.Likely scrawny,but a welcoming gift to the others,Moon was sure.Swiftly she killed the creature and stowed it in a pile of rocks. She decided that even if it wasn't much,a bit of bedding would really make the place special.She went back to the bramble wall and hunted through it for bits of fur.The prey that had been pushed through the thorns had left many tufts of fur and feather behind.After collecting quite the wad of it,Moon took it back to the new cavern and spread it out over the floor.Perfect. As she raced through to find her companions,she saw the sillhouette of a cat sitting in the entrance,the guard.Opening her mouth,she scented Lizardeyes. “Lizardeyes,"she called softly,“I found a place." The cat jerked up his head,his green eyes glowing faintly in the dark.“Really?"His voice was ecstatic.“I'll wake the others." “Bring the moss.It'll make good bedding." Soon,six cats were walking through the darkness toward their new home.Moon was excited.She had finally found a way to prove herself to the group. Firefly let out a yelp. “Firefly?"Moss stopped,slowling the whole procession and blocking the tunnel. The little brown cat groaned.“I tripped...I think my leg..."Her voice filled with pain,Firefly groaned again.Shakily she tried to get to her paws. Moss dropped back beside her.Moon could faintly see Firefly leaning on the white tom as she staggered through the tunnel. Ravenflame sped ahead and lit a small flame that illuminated the darkness of the prison.“We can't have any more cats injured,"he explained. The faint light allowed the pitiful group of prisoners see onstacles in their way.As they continued on,however,Moon realized the place she had found was farther than she had thought.Ravenflame seemed exhausted.Moss was no better but he continued to help Firefly.Lizardeyes and Clawswipe looked alright,but they were just as tired as the rest of them. “I can't keep going,"Ravenflame groaned as the fire went out. Moon looked into the darkness.“Almost there.Just follow me." She went on.Knocking each rock out of the way,they finally reached a tunnel near the bramble wall.“Just a little farther!"She said excitedly. When Moon showed them the little spot that was their new home,Ravenflame collapsed to the ground.Firefly painfully made her way to the center to their new camp before dropping to the floor,then she closed her eyes to light up the dark. Lizardeyes glanced at the she-cats leg.It was twisted awkwardly,and Moon winced when she saw it.Everytime Firefly shifted,Moon could almost hear the bones snapping. “It doesn't look good,Firefly."Clawswipe said simply.“There isn't much we can do for it,except try to straighten it and hope..." Firefly winced but said nothing. Moon knew that Moss was obviously exhausted,but he pushed on to explore every pawstep of the cavern.He picked up the mouse Moon had caught earlier.“Food!"He mewed. Eagerly,they each took a piece of the mouse - barely a mouthful,but food - and had water from the little trickle against the wall. Chapter 4 Moon slipped out of the newly founded camp towards the bramble wall.The sun was rising,so she would have to retreat into the darkness soon,but she needed to see the light of day,to remind herself there was more to the world than the darkness of the cave that had been her home for....how long?Had it already been a moon? Caught in the brambles was a wad of moss,soaked with water.If the moss was dried,it could be used for bedding.Perfect. The little blue cat pulled the wet moss out of the wall and brought it back into camp.Setting it near the water trickle,Moon looked up and saw that Lizardeyes was awake already. “Good Morning,Lizardeyes." He nodded to her. “I found moss in the bramble wall,and if we dry it,it will make good bedding." Lizardeyes didn't answer.“Moon,I'll send a hunting party out today.Would you like to go?" Moon hesitated.Ravenflame had told her the more violent cats came out during the day.Sensing her uneasiness,the black tom added,“You don't have to go." “No,I'll go."She was determined to do this for the good of the group.Ravenflame didn't have to take her in,but he did.And the others accepted her.Letting them down meant everything they had done to help her was wasted. Lizardeyes nodded again.His green eyes glowed in the dimness of the cave.“Be careful.If you get lost..." “I won't get lost if I go far enough underground.The deeper I am,the better I know where to go."Her blue-grey fur looking dark in the shadows,Moon took a few laps of water and set off. Hunting had never been her specialty,but she had never hunted underground.Each tunnel took her deeper,and though she couldn't see,she knew every detail of the place.There was a rcck there,another tunnel there,cats in that cavern over there... Steering clear of other Camps,Moon found an open place deep underground.Faint light came in through the cieling,very dim,even in the light of day.Moon shivered.This cavern led far from the Camp. She paused.She heard a faint squeak of a mouse and the sound of a steady stream.The mouse was...to her left.Using her uncanny sense of direction in the near complete darkness,Moon pounced. The rodent under her paws squirmed,then went limp as she delivered the killing bite.She would have to hurry to protect the meager catch,but just knowing her mission hadn't been a failure encouraged Moon. As she hurried back into the maze of tunnel,she wondered if there was another way out,a way to escape this place. Ravenflame glanced around the cave.“Where did Moon go?"The faint light drifting in told him it was daylight,and if Moon was alone,she wouldn't last long. “Hunting."Lizardeyes was spreading a wad of moss out to dry.“I'm sure she's fine.That cat always knows where she is going." The tabby said nothing. The others saw nothing different.Moss stayed by Firefly,trying to straighten her leg,apologizing at least a dozen times whenever she winced.Clawswipe was on guard. The only one without something to do was Ravenflame.He had been in this prison so long,too long.He knew what the cats here were like.Desperate,violent...Moon wouldn't stand a chance. Tbc